The X Factor: Rush release for Sam Bailey album

X Factor winner Sam Bailey is to begin working on her album next month and it is hoped it will be in the shops by the end of March – the fastest turnaround since the show began.

Record bosses are hoping it will be ready for Mother’s Day, on the final weekend of that month, to capitalise on her popularity following her win.

The star has now signed a deal with show boss Simon Cowell’s company Syco as part of her prize for triumphing in the contest and she had already issued a digital version of her single Skyscraper.

A spokesman for Syco said: “Sam Bailey is to sign to Syco Music after securing more than a million votes to win The X Factor.

“Sam, 36, will go into the recording studio next month to begin recording her debut album.”

The release date will be months ahead of the usual schedule for X Factor winners who have in recent years tended to opt for the autumn. The first winner Steve Brookstein had an album out in May, while his successor Shayne Ward made his debut in April. With Leona Lewis’s win, the pattern was set for a release much later in the year, as her album did not see the light until November.

A physical CD copy of Sam’s single will be available to buy from this Wednesday (December 18), but fans have already been lapping it up and today it was topping the iTunes sales chart.

Syco is donating all its profits for CD and download sales to be shared by Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and Together for Short Lives. That will mean at least £1 for each CD sold in the UK and at least 20p for each download.

A number of retailers have also agreed to donate their share of profits from the single to the charities. The Government has also agreed to waive VAT on sales.

Chancellor George Osborne has said: “I want to make sure these charities really benefit with as much money as possible going to them – that’s why I am giving back the tax paid on sales of the winning single.”

Sam will be joining the X Factor finalists’ tour in February and March.